Velocipede



3 Sheets-Sheet 1. F. WHITE. VELOOIPEDE (No Model.)

170437.827. Patented Oct. 7,1890.

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VELOGIPEDE.

(No Model.)

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F. WHITE.

(No Model.)

- VELOGIPEDE.

Patented Oct. 7, 18-90.

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UNITED STATES FREDERICK \VHITE, OF WORCESTER,

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE WHITE CYCLE COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 137,827, dated October 7, 1890.

Application filed February 4:, 1890- Serial No. 339,198- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that LFREDERICKW'HITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVorcester, in the county of Wbrcester and State of 5 Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Velocipedes, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable persons skilled in the art to which this invention appertains to make and use the same.

In that class of velocipedes or cycles known as Safety or low-down bicycles it has heretofore been customary to employ an auxiliary pedal-shaft located forward of the drivewheel, and to connect said pedal-shaft and the drive-wheel for operation by means of sprocket wheels and drive-chains at either one or both sides of the machine. Various 2o arrangements for such purpose have been employed, but all are more or less unsightly and cumbersome, while the drive-chains, which have to be oiled, soon become clogged with accumulated dust and dirt, so that it requires 2 5 considerable labor and attention to keep the mechanism in proper condition.

The objects of my present invention are, first, to do away with chains and sprockets as commonly used in this class of bicycles,

0 and to afford a practical and efficient machine in which the driving shaft or axle and pedal-cranks are arranged at the center of the driving-wheel, multiplying-gearing being combined therewith for increasing the speed 5 of the traction-whee1 above that of the driveaxle.

Another object of my invention is to provide, in a velocipede or cycle machine having a train of gearing arranged within the hub of the traction-wheel and operated by crankpedals, a system of construction and mounting that shall be practical for manufacture, convenient for construction and adjustment, and wherein the epicyclic train or multiply- 5 ing-gears shall be easy of operation and durable for use; also, to provide in trains of rnultiplyin g-gearin g for the purpose specified cup-shaped disks and ball-bearin gs combined with the traverse-gears to afford support therefor, as hereinafter explained.

Another object is to provide, in combination with the driving-wheel and pedal mechanism, as described, a supporting-frame of peculiar form having the seat mounted at or nearly in a vertical line over the drivingwheel axis, thereby bringing the weight of the rider more directly upon the drivingwheel than has heretofore been the practice with Safety bicycles.

These objects I attain by mechanism such as described, the particular subject-matter claimed being hereinafter definitely specified.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a bicycle constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the drive-wheel hub, showing in elevation the train of operating-gearing. Fig. 3 is an end view of the wheel-hub, frame-bearing, and axle. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section through the wheel-hub, frame-bearing, and operating-gearing; and Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section through the wheel-hub and driving-axle.

Referring to parts, A denotes the driving or traction wheel; B, the steering-wheel; C, the main frame; D, the guiding-fork provided with the usual handles d; and E, the pedal cranks or levers fitted with the usual foot pads or pedals e, by means of which the power is applied for propelling the machine.

F denotes the driving-axle arranged through the axis of the traction-wheel, but independently supported and having the pedal-cranks or operating -levers connected with its respective ends, which project beyond the frame-bearings in the manner shown. The axle F is screw-threaded near the ends, and screw-threaded collars G G are fitted thereon, which collars are formed with a circumferential cavetto channel and alip or flange about 0 their peripheries, as indicated. These collars serve to support and adjust the driving-axle within the boxes or frame-bearings c, which latter are recessed on their outer sides to receive said collars, and have an internally- 5 rounded shoulder. A series of balls 5, arranged between these rounded shoulders and the cavetto channel of the collars G, afiord rolling-ball bearings between the frame and the driving-axle.

The hub of the driving-wheel A is, in accordance with my invention, composed of a cylindrical shell or barrel 6, some four inches (more or less) in diameter, provided with pe-s ripherally-projecting ribs or flanges 7, to which the wire spokes are secured. Within the ends of this cylinder 6 annular heads or disks 8 are fitted,the peripheries of which 'match against seating-surfaces formed on the interior of said cylinder, so as to give a firm support and close-fitting joints. The disks 8 are removable, but are rigidly keyed into the cylindrical part 6, thus forming a casing within which the train of gearing is inclosed.

Outwardly projecting annular ribs or flanges 10 are provided upon the exterior of the hub or disks 8, and the inner surfaces of such flanges are properly fitted and rounded to form a seat or rollway for a series of balls 9, that give support for the frame-bearings c upon the wheel, said frame-bearings being bearing of the frame 0 is suspended between the driving-axle collars G and the supportingflanges 10 on the wheel-hub, so that the moving parts run independently on their several ball-bearings, thus operating with ease and freedom of action, causing but little friction and wear. Said driving-axle is best made of hardened steel, and has two transverse auxiliary axles or studs F, disposed at central position on its opposite sides and formed integral therewith. Said transverse axles stand out substantially at right angles to the main axis and respectively serve as supports or axes for the two traverse-gears I and'J in the operating-train. The transverse gearsupporting axles being in one piece with the main driving-axle, there is no liability of their slipping or becoming loose on the driving-axle.

K indicates a beveled gear keyed or rigidly fixed upon an inwardly-projecting sleeve or part 12 on one of the frame-bearings c, that serves as a dead-Wheel, and L indicates a gear keyed or rigidly fixed to one of the end disks 8 of the traction-wheel hub, which latter receives the aggregate motion from the traverse-gears.

The two traverse-gears I and J are respectively mounted upon the transversely-projecting axles or studs F, and both mesh with the two gears K and L at diametrically-opposite positions, so that when the driving-axle is rotated the strains and leverage of the gearing is balanced at the opposite sides of the gear- ,axes, thereby obviating any undue sidewise pressures and wear in the train or on the axles.

The traverse-gears I and J are preferably supported by ball-bearings above and below the gear, as illustrated in Fig. 4. For this purpose the upper and lower sides of the gears are formed with concaved shoulders adand bottom of the gears, while a series of balls 17 are confined between the concaved surfaces of the gears and plates, thus affording for the gears anti-frictional ball-supports, as shown. The inner plates 16 rest against shoulders on the axle and the outer plates are secured by nuts 18, screwed onto the ends of the axlestuds F, which nuts prevent the escape of the plates and balls and afford ample facility for adjustment to take up wear and for giving accuracy and closeness of running, while permitting the free rotation of the gears about their axes.

An advantage attained by making the hub with a cylindrical barrel and end disks fitted therein, as shown, is that the gearing and axles can be conveniently fitted up and assembled and then put into the cylindrical hub through one end thereof, and the disk 8 sub sequently introduced into place, while the The screw-threaded collars G on the ends v of the axle are turned up to give the proper degree of tightness to the several ball-beau ings 5 and 9, all of which are thereby simultaneously taken up or relieved, and said collars are then confined at their place of adjust-ment by pins or screws 20, fixed in the cranks with their ends fitted in one of a series of holes formed in the exterior side of the collar.

The frame C is preferably constructed in the peculiar form shown and composed of the following parts: A main reach 0, having a tubular or hinging fore end h, extends therefrom to the drive-wheel bearings c, to which it is attached, as at 22, its rear part being bifurcated to accommodate the traction-wheel A; the guard a over the top of the wheel, rigidly attached to the main reach c, and braced from its rear part to the bearing 0 by struts or bars 0 which are attached to said bearings, as at 23; a seat-support c fixed on the guard o at a position that will bring the saddle S directly over or nearly over the axis of the driving-wheel, while a rigid horizontal brace c is extended from the fore end h to the seat-support, substantially in the manner illustrated in Fig. l. The main reach 0, guard 0 brace-bars c 0 seat-support c and fore end h all together form a rigid frame or integral structure. A vertically-adjustable angle-bar m is fitted in the support 0 and the saddle S is horizontally adjustable thereon in well-known manner, it being retained by the set-screw r.

The head of the guiding-fork D is hinged to or swiveled in the-fore end of the frame 0,

and the steering-wheel B is journaled in said fork in the usual manner.

The advantages of this frame are that it brings the rider directly over the tractionwheel in the best position for working the machine. His weight being on the center of the drive-Wheel reduces the vibration, makes the machine easier to handle, and the weight on the steering-wheel being lightened it rides easier, and obviates the jerking of the handles occasioned by inequalities of the road. The construction shown brings the two wheels much nearer together than is usual in lowdown or Safety bicycles.

The brake 24: is hinged to the main reach to press upon the traction-wheel, and is operated by a hand-lever 25, angle-lever 26, and connections 27, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The saddle S may be of any suitable or wellknown form.

I am aware that in a previous patent there has been shown and described an epicyclic train of gearing for producing aggregate motion as applied to the construction of bicycles. Hence it will be understood that I do not herein make claim, broadly, to the employment of such class of gearing in velocipedes, but that my invention comprises special features of improvement, such as illustrated and defined.

I claim as my invention herein to be secured by Letters Patent- 1. The drive-wheel hub composed of the cylindrical barrel having the spoke-attaching flanges thereon, and the annular heads or end disks fitted therein, said heads provided with projecting annular flanges on their exterior that form rollways for the ball-bearings, whereby the frame is supported upon said hub, in combination with the drive-wheel and frame, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the gear K, fixed on the frame, the traction-wheel, and the gear L, fixed on the traction-wheel hub, of the driving axle having the two transverse auxiliary axles integral thereon, screw-threaded near its ends and provided with threaded adjustable collars that have cavetto channels at their inner peripheral angles, said collars fitting into recesses in the exterior side of the frame-bearings, and supported against rounded shoulders therein by a series of bearingballs 5, in the manner shown, two traversegears I and J, mounted on said transverse axles, meshing with said gears K andL at opposite positions, and the pedal-cranks fixed to the respective ends of the driving-axle, all as shown and described.

3. The combination of the driving-axle F, the screw-threaded collars G, fitted thereon and having cavetto channels, as described, the traction-wheel having its hub provided with annular flanges 10, the frame-bearings 0, having outer and inner rounded shoulders, the series of balls 5 between said collars and the frame, and the series of balls 9 between said frame-bearings and the annular flanges on the traction-wheel hub, substantially as set forth.

4. In a velocipede having an epicyclic train of operating-gears, the combination, with the intermediate or traverse gear and the transverse axle therefor, of a cap or bearing-disk secured at the outer side of the gear upon the end of the transverse axle, said gear and disk being respectively fitted with oblique oppositely-oonoaved surfaces or shoulders, and a series of bearing-balls disposed between said surfaces and supporting said traverse-gear both concentrically with its axle and also against lateral orontward pressure, substantially as set forth.

5. The driving-axle having the transverse studs or axles thereon, the traverse-gears mounted on said transverse axles, the cupshaped plates arranged on said axles above and below said travei'segears, and the series of rolling balls disposed between said gears and plates and forming anti-frictional bearing therefor, in combination with the traction-wheel, the frame-bearings, the gear fixed to the traction-wheel hub, the gear fixed to the frame-bearing, and means for op erating the driving-axle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, substantially as described, of the traction-wheel having the hollow hub, the multiplying-gears inclosed therein, the driving-axle arranged at the center of said wheel, the crank-pedals fixed to the respective ends of said axle, the traversegears mounted on transverse axle-studs at the center thereof, a duplex series of ballbearings that independently support the bearings of the frame on the driving-axle and the drive-wheel hub, the main frame carrying a seat-support above the traction-wheel center and having the tubular fore end, the guidingfork having its standard fitted in said tubular fore end, and the steering-Wheeljournaled in said fork immediately in front of said drive-wheel, said parts being constructed and disposed for operation as set forth.

7. The frame composed of the bifurcated main reach 0, the rigid arched guard 0 the guard-braces c bearing a, the seat-support 0 carried on said guard, the horizontal brace 0 connecting said seat-support and the fore end of the main reach, in combination with the drive-wheel having the crank-pedals or operating devices at the axis thereof, and the steering-wheel and its guiding-fork connected with the fore end of said main reach,all substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this llth day of January, A. D. 1890.

FREDERICK XVI-UTE.

\Vitnesses:

CHAS. H. BURLEIGH, FRANK E. PEOK.

ITO 

